SFE ANZ Hub

The SFE are pleased to announce that we have established a new SFE Hub in the ANZ region. 

The Society of Facade Engineers membership is a worldwide network of professionals across the facade industry, with over a thousand members around the globe.

The aim of Hubs is to enable the SFE to provide useful services to such a widespread community, we have established localised hubs to organise and operate on a regional basis.

SFE ANZ Hub Steering Committee:

• ANZ Chair - Rob Buck
• ANZ Vice Chair – Elissa Stirling
• Qld Chair - Todd Grice
• NSW Chair- Tom Donald
• NSW Vice Chair - Robert Moisy
• SA Chair – Nick Roach
• VIC Chair – Rob Buck
• NZ Chair - Jon Robinson
• YEN Engagement & Development - Balesh Baleshan
• ANZ WA Chair Jean-Marc Oliver 

SFE ANZ AIMS

To promote the benefits of facade engineering in the built environment.

To establish and promote good practice and professional guidance in facade engineering in all its facets.

To provide professional recognition to all those active in the field of facade engineering, including designers and engineers.

To provide facade engineers in the built environment a route to registration with the Engineering Council as Chartered or Incorporated engineers or engineering technicians.

To be at the forefront of developing facade engineering as an integral part of a low-energy, zero carbon sustainable future.

To provide a forum where people interested in all aspects of facade engineering can come together, connecting the creators and users of Facade information in the built environment.

To set and maintain standards in education and training for facade engineering and to promote relevant research.

We will do this by:

• Holding events for technical development and knowledge sharing.
  Advocate for the better definition and understanding of facade engineering. Including:
  Information and advice relating to the role of facade engineers in differing certification frameworks including the risks, liabilities and responsibilities.
  Advocate for better definitions of a Facade engineer with state and federal bodies, engineering registers, fair trading etc.
  Liaise with the industry / education to develop and outline pathways to become recognized as a facade engineer.
  Develop a national standard to assess skills and competence in facade engineering in relation to accreditation
  Develop ANZ specific knowledge portal for members.
  Promote facade engineering at universities to attract the best students to the profession.

If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].

News and Events

SFE Victoria: Unlock Your Future in Facade Engineering: Connect, Create & Grow!'

In August, SFE Victoria Hub hosted their event, 'Unlock Your Future in Facade Engineering: Connect, Create & Grow!'. The event was an opportunity for recent graduates and final year students to explore facade engineering—from core technical principles to innovative world-class architecture. Facade specialists play a vital role in designing and delivering building envelopes, requiring expertise in sustainability, combustibility, and acoustics. 

The evening was more than just a career talk; it was an opportunity to build meaningful connections, gain practical knowledge, and chance to learn students engineering and technical skills can be applied to create stunning and functional building envelopes.

 

SFE Victoria The Importance of Facades in Passivhaus design’

In March the SFE hosted 'The Importance of Facades in Passivhaus design’ in Melbourne sponsored by Inhabit. 

We were joined by expert speakers:

• Johanna Trickett – Associate, Australasia Education Leader - Arup
• Pablo Sepulveda – Architectural, Sustainable & Integrated Design
• Chris Nunn – General Manager of ESG - Scape
• Clare Parry – Sustainability Director – Development Victoria
• Lawrence Le – Inhabit / Façade Building Physics + Sustainability

The event featured key topics:

• What are the top 3 challenges to achieving Passivhaus in Australia?
• Are there elements of Passivehaus we should have as code compliance in relation to facade design?
• What is the impact of the façade in achieving Passivhaus?
• How do we tackle the challenge of different climates across Australia to achieve Passivhaus, and is it practical for all locations?
• PassivHaus design vs. build/realization – is there a disconnect?
• What are the financial considerations of Passivhaus design?

‘The Importance of Facades in Passivhaus design’

After their successful launch, the SFE ANZ Victoria Hub hosted, ‘The Importance of Facades in Passivhaus design’, joined by Johanna Trickett – Associate, Australasia Education Leader Arup, Pablo Sepulveda – Associate, Sustainability & Integrated Design at Aurecon, Michael Crowley – Senior Associate Inhabit, Chris Nunn – General Manager of ESG at Scape and Clare Parry – Sustainability Director, Development Victoria. The following panel discussion covered questions such as, ‘What are the top 3 challenges to achieving Passivhaus in Australia?’, and ‘What are the financial considerations of Passivhaus design?’.

In October, the Society of Façade Engineers ANZ New Zealand Hub hosted their Inaugural Event in Auckland. Hosted by Jon Robinson, CIBSE SFE New Zealand Chair, Associate at Arup, the event was a great opportunity to connect with like-minded professionals. With the requirements on facade engineers becoming more complex the Hub invited key industry stakeholders to discuss the need for regulation and definition, the legal and insurance framework and the evolving scope in the context of the design team and the contractors. The event covered the proposed practice standard for professional engineers, the increased scope and what to think about regarding insurance, the evolving requirements and where this interfaces with the design team and the facade engineering process through construction.

Building on the success of their previous event, the SFE New South Wales Hub organised a panel discussion looking at the evolving requirements of facade engineers in NSW.

To finish off the year, SFE NSW hosted Christmas Drinks and Learn event at Pro Clima Australia Pty Ltd. This was a great opportunity for members and non-members alike to network and learn more about the Society.